Arsenal warned they have signed ‘another Mesut Ozil’ for Mikel Arteta after £200m spree.
Arsenal new boy Kai Havertz has been compared to the club’s former playmaker Mesut Ozil as Paul Merson has identified the “only problem” with the German’s £65million signing. Havertz’s transfer from Chelsea was confirmed last week as Mikel Arteta’s outfit are finalising a £200m spending spree this summer.
Both Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are set to follow Havertz to the Emirates from West Ham and Ajax respectively, but Arsenal icon Merson is wary of the way that the former Chelsea forward conducts himself on the pitch. The Blues were willing to part ways with the 24-year-old after failing to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge, despite scoring the only goal in their 2021 Champions League final victory, as Arsenal felt that they could help him revive his Premier League career.
But the Gunners have been warned that while Havertz will improve them, as he is expected to take over from Granit Xhaka in midfield, Merson believes that his demeanour on the pitch is reminiscent of Ozil – who Arteta publicly ousted from the squad early into his tenure at the Emirates.
“Arsenal should be buzzing with Kai Havertz, he makes them a better team,” Merson wrote for Sky Sports. “The only problem I could see with Havertz is similar to that experienced by Mesut Ozil at Arsenal. If it’s not going well, Havertz doesn’t look too interested.